Housekeeper Liu turned around and left after bringing them. He seemed to have more pressing matters to attend to, perhaps waiting for the papermaker who would never return.
Once Liu was gone, everyone felt at ease and began talking. Kwong Hongyi recounted his experience, which mirrored that of Yang Xiao and the others. He, too, had encountered the third young master of the papermaker shortly after entering the water. Upon realizing this, the two quickly steered their boat toward the Kongming lantern.
Just as Yang Xiao suspected, neither team had released the Kong Mingdeng.
An accident occurred at that moment. Kwong Hongyi and his companions collided with a boat displaying a white lantern at its bow. Initially believing it to be a teammate, they approached, only to discover that the figure aboard was Sun Amao, who was already dead. Fortunately, they reacted just in time to avoid a collision, but before they could catch their breath, the other boat caught up and bumped theirs.
Kwong Hongyi dared not flee again; ahead in the fog, he spotted shadows of several boats with people standing on them. Sun Amao's vessel crashed into theirs from behind, and then, strangely, Sun Amao and another bloated drowned ghost climbed aboard.
Kwong Hongyi, relying on his skills, managed to leap onto Sun Amao's boat after a moment of maneuvering, but Xu Su wasn't so lucky—she was caught by Sun Amao. The three figures became entangled and fell into the water.
Kwong Hongyi attempted to help with a pole, but it was too late. After a struggle, the three sank beneath the surface.
Sighing solemnly, Kwong Hongyi said, "Later, I saw a big red lantern rising in the distance, so I drove the boat over and went ashore. Unfortunately, Xu Su..."
"Brother Kwong, don't blame yourself too much for Miss Xu Su's fate," Shi Dali comforted him. "No one wanted this to happen."
"That's right, Brother Kwong, you did your best," Shi Guanming added.
In contrast, Shi Dali and his wife had a much simpler experience. They encountered no strange occurrences. Shi Dali explained that, as a crew member, he was familiar with the waterways but had never seen the rules regarding the incense burner on the bow of the boat. After leaving Liu's sight, he inspected the burner and discovered an issue.
The top layer contained incense ash, but beneath it lay white rice soaked in blood—this was not something to ward off evil; it would only attract it.
Realizing the danger, Shi Dali threw the incense burner into the lake. They then tried to find the other two teams on the foggy water but lost their way and had to follow the red lanterns back to shore.
"If we had met Brother Shi earlier, we might have avoided this, and Sister Xu Su wouldn't have died," Yang Xiaopo said, reflecting on their misfortune.
After ensuring no one was eavesdropping, Kwong Hongyi lowered his voice. "Something is wrong with the whole house. They sent us to find the third young master, but it feels like they wanted us to die. Xu Su didn't come back, and they didn't seem to care."
"And the boat I returned in was obviously a wreck! It must have been sunk for a while. I've seen many similar boats in the fog—how can there be so many wrecks in this lake? How many have died?"
Shi Dali nodded gravely. "Most of those who died here were the servants of the house. I suspect Master Feng used their lives to prolong his own. Sun Amao's death might have been part of their plan."
After discussing for a while, a servant rushed over to inform them that Housekeeper Liu wanted everyone to return to their rooms to rest, cautioning that tonight's events must not be spoken of.
When they reached their room, Yang Xiao and Kwong Hongyi noticed a red lantern hanging on either side of the door.
Upon entering, Yang Xiao saw Su Tingting lying in bed, seemingly asleep, with soft snoring confirming it. The servant who had returned them explained that he feared Su Fuke might have an epileptic episode during the night, so he had given her a calming herbal medicine to ensure she would sleep until dawn.
"How fortunate for her," Yang Xiao thought, envious of Su Tingting's peaceful state.
Suddenly, he caught Kwong Hongyi staring at him with a peculiar expression. "Brother Chu, you're also a newcomer."
Yang Xiao blinked in surprise, then chuckled bitterly. "I guess I've been with you long enough to feel like one of the old players."
Kwong Hongyi didn't dwell on it. After sending the servant away, he checked on Su Tingting and confirmed she was indeed asleep. Then he pulled Yang Xiao aside and sat on another bed, his demeanor shifting. He rolled up his trouser leg to reveal a blood-stained cloth tied to his calf, which he opened to reveal a fresh scar. Blood continued to seep from the wound.
Yang Xiao immediately thought of the short knife that had been on the edge of the boat.
Kwong Hongyi gritted his teeth, a ferocity in his eyes. "Xu Su tried to kill me!"
"What happened?" Yang Xiao asked, alarmed.
"I couldn't say much in front of Shi Dali and the others, but I can trust you, Brother Chu. After our boat was overtaken by Sun Amao, I noticed Xu Su didn't panic. I asked her questions, but she wouldn't respond. Sun Amao and the other drowned ghost... it seemed like they could only see me!"
"It's a grave," Yang Xiao realized. "Xu Su was carrying the grave soil."
"Exactly." Kwong Hongyi nodded fiercely. "I demanded it from her, but when she refused, she attacked me. This woman knows that if one of us dies, those things will leave."
"Those things can only kill one at a time?" Yang Xiao asked, grasping the point.
"Usually, yes."
Yang Xiao went to find some medicine. There were still some supplies from when Su Tingting had been injured. Kwong Hongyi treated his wound expertly, showing he had experience with such injuries.
After bandaging his calf again, Kwong Hongyi leaned against the edge of the bed and exhaled. "Brother Chu, that Shi Dali isn't one to underestimate. He noticed the problem with the incense burner early on, but didn't warn you."
"Don't worry, I'll keep it in mind," Yang Xiao reassured him, patting his arm. "With you here, I feel safe."
"Yes, together we will break through!"
Kwong Hongyi's expression softened slightly, and he licked his dry lips. "Brother Chu, what do you make of tonight's events?"
Yang Xiao shared his encounter with Uncle Yongchuan and the third young master. As Kwong Hongyi listened, he fell into thought. "The Feng family didn't tell us the truth. They bribed the Bai class owner of the Bai family's gate building to claim Xi Yao fell into the water and drowned. In reality, they betrothed Xi Yao to Master Feng on the seventh day. No wonder Xi's spirit is restless, turning into a fierce ghost demanding revenge."
"It makes sense," Yang Xiao agreed, still shaken by the realization.
"By the way, Brother Chu, did you notice the two red lanterns outside our door?" Kwong Hongyi asked suddenly.
Yang Xiao was caught off guard, but then remembered. "Yes, I received a script box with three cards."
Kwong Hongyi urged him, "Do you remember the cards?"
Recalling them, Yang Xiao noted that the first card depicted the Feng family mansion on the main street, the second showed the lake in the backyard, where red lanterns hung outside every door. The images matched perfectly with their surroundings that night.
"Are those cards clues for us?" Yang Xiao wondered, surprised by their significance.
"Yes! I researched before coming. The red lantern system on the second card is unique—it's a special cage from ancient times. Now it seems to imply that Xi Yao was sent to the uncle's ship."
"What about the third card?" Yang Xiao asked, curious. He vividly remembered it; there had been a cloudy darkness depicted.
Kwong Hongyi grinned, "I didn't understand its meaning until just now, thanks to your reminder."
Yang Xiao looked puzzled.
"You mentioned seeing the ship sunk at the bottom of the lake." Kwong Hongyi gestured downwards.
Suddenly, everything clicked for Yang Xiao. "That vague darkness represents the lake! The dark, murky depths at night!"
"Exactly! This third card suggests that the ship and Xi Yao were sunk together at the bottom of the lake, which is the crux of our mission!" Kwong Hongyi's concern resurfaced. "At this rate, we may have to dive into the lake soon to search for the ship and Xi Yao's body."
Hearing this, Yang Xiao felt a wave of dread. While he was a decent swimmer, the thought of plunging into the cold lake filled with unknown wrecks and corpses terrified him.
Imagining encountering Sun Amao and the others in the near-zero visibility of the lake made him uneasy.
Noticing Yang Xiao's pale face, Kwong Hongyi changed the subject. "By the way, when I was in town looking for clues, I came across an old saying circulating among the locals."
Kwong Hongyi took a moment to recall, speaking each word carefully: "The first daughter does not marry, the second son is under his knee. The blessing is thin, his life shallow, and the door of the deep house courtyard is not crossed."
"I spoke with several elders who confirmed they had heard this saying. It refers to a high-ranking household in the remote area of Limen," Kwong Hongyi pointed to the ground. "It's the Feng family compound on the old site of the flour mill."
With that, everything became clearer. The first two lines were still a mystery, but the last part hinted at Xi Yao's fate.
As the night wore on and so many clues surfaced, Yang Xiao decided it was best to rest, knowing Kwong Hongyi needed to recover.
"You shouldn't suffer alone, Brother Chu," Kwong Hongyi said, picking up a candlestick to head to the Zasu Pavilion.
Yang Xiao quickly stopped him. "Don't worry about that; I'm fine on my own."
Seeing Yang Xiao's resolve, Kwong Hongyi reluctantly put down the candlestick and said, "Alright, but wake me in a few hours, and I'll take my turn."
After Kwong Hongyi fell asleep, Yang Xiao double-checked the doors and windows and peered out through the cracks. The gathering by the lake had dispersed, likely because Housekeeper Liu and the others knew about the papermaker's accident. The third young master was likely facing dire consequences.
He sat at the table, pouring himself a cup of tea. Fortunately, it was freshly brewed, still warm.
As Yang Xiao wrapped his hands around the teacup, the heat gradually calmed his racing thoughts.
He realized he couldn't fully trust what Kwong Hongyi had said. Xu Su hadn't willingly given him the grave soil, and it seemed absurd to think she had tried to kill him.
Imagining the confrontation, it didn't make sense. If Xu Su had the grave soil, she would have only needed to wait for Sun Amao to deal with Kwong Hongyi. Why would she risk attacking him?
Moreover, she was much weaker than him; even if she had tried to attack, the chances of success were slim, especially given the wariness between them.
Yang Xiao concluded that the real scene must have unfolded differently. After realizing Xu Su wasn't a threat with the grave soil, Kwong Hongyi likely turned aggressive, seriously injuring her with a short knife, abandoning her on the boat, and escaping.
It was possible Xu Su had been thrown into the water after being injured.
This could also be inferred from Kwong Hongyi's injury. Xu Su must have been defending herself, resulting in the wound on his calf.
Had she really tried to sneak attack him, the injury would have been different. If it was a true ambush, she would have aimed for a decisive strike, risking her own life in the process.
Yang Xiao didn't intend to seek justice for Xu Su. Kwong Hongyi's actions could be justified in a life-or-death situation; survival was paramount. Under similar circumstances, if Xu Su had refused to hand over the grave soil, she would have faced dire consequences as well.
Of course, it was also possible that Xu Su was a hidden practitioner, complicating matters further.
"Huh." Yang Xiao resolved to start training once he returned. Perhaps he'd sign up for a self-defense class. He needed practical skills, whether for an ambush or direct confrontation—anything to gain an edge.
He had little time to write scripts. If necessary, he could request leave from the nightmare group, explaining that he was busy with survival scenarios. If he lost, it wouldn't matter—everyone would understand.